


Playing Hooky

by badly_knitted



Category: FAKE (Manga)
Genre: Community: fic_promptly, Day Off, Detectives, Fluff, Friendship, Gardens & Gardening, Gen, Good weather, Lies, Playing Hooky, Pre-Relationship, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-14
Updated: 2018-05-14
Packaged: 2019-05-07 00:17:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 606
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14659221
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/badly_knitted/pseuds/badly_knitted
Summary: Ryo does something he knows he really shouldn’t, but everybody else does it once in a while, so why shouldn’t he?





	Playing Hooky

**Author's Note:**

> Written for my own prompt ‘FAKE, Dee/Ryo, The day Ryo called in sick when he wasn't,’ at fic_promptly.
> 
> **Setting:** After Vol. 2.

Ryo bit his lip. This was wrong and he shouldn’t do it, he’d be lying to the Chief, and he really preferred not to do that. Lying to himself was one thing, but lying to other people was a different matter altogether, because he wasn’t all that good at it, and face-to-face he probably wouldn’t be able to get away with it because he’d start blushing. On the other hand, everyone did it from time to time, and maybe it wasn’t completely a lie. He was stressed and a bit out of sorts, and besides, it was only for one day and it wasn’t as if he was off work a lot…

He had to make up his mind whether or not he was doing this; if not, he needed to get off to work, but if he was going to… Picking up the phone, he dialled the Chief’s number before he could change his mind.

“Chief Smith,” the familiar voice barked after a couple of rings.

“Sir? It’s Randy here. I don’t think I’m going to make it in today, I’m not feeling too good.” Which was sort of the truth; he felt bad about lying.

“Alright,” the Chief grumbled. “Not much happening so I guess we can manage without you for a day or two. If you’re not feeling better by tomorrow, go see a doctor.”

“Yes, Sir, I will. Sorry.” Ryo hung up and sat down on his bed, legs suddenly turned to jelly, scarcely able to believe he’d done it! He felt fine, at least in terms of health, but now he felt guilty for calling in sick when he wasn’t. He could have taken a personal day, probably should have, because that was allowed, but… Maybe Dee really was having a bad influence on him.

Gathering together a few things, Ryo put on shoes and a lightweight jacket; it was warm out but not yet hot. He made sure he had his phone, wallet, and keys, picked up his bag and left the apartment, locking it behind him. Dee would probably think he was crazy, but he didn’t care. Leaving his car outside his apartment, Ryo took the subway as far as he could, then walked the rest of the way.

“Hey.” 

Dee’s head jerked up. “Ryo! What’re you doin’ here?”

Ryo blushed. “Playing hooky. I called in sick, thought I’d come and help out.”

“You what?” For the space of a couple of heartbeats, Dee stared at him incredulously before bursting out laughing. “Man, I didn’t think I’d ever see the day!”

“Yeah, well… You don’t have to sound so surprised.” Ryo’s blush deepened.

“I’m proud of you!”

That was a surprise. “You are?”

“Why wouldn’t I be? Not that it’s goin’ to be much of a day off if you’re serious about helping.”

“I am. Just tell me where to start.”

The orphanage’s new premises came with a seriously overgrown backyard and Dee had promised Mother he’d start sorting it out as soon as the weather improved. He waved his arm at the jungle. “Just pick a spot and start cuttin’. Try to work around anything that looks like it might be worth keepin’.”

Ryo didn’t need telling twice, pulling on a pair of gardening gloves and getting a new set of pruning shears out of his bag, he set to with a will. The weather today was much too nice to spend it cooped up in the squad room. By tomorrow he’d probably ache all over from the hard physical work, but already he could feel stress melting away. This was just what the doctor ordered.

The End


End file.
